Search and Rescue
by Waverin3
Summary: A great day ends in a mission to save Marissa from a kidnapper. Can Ryan succeed? Please RR!


**Wow. I got kicked off of the computer for a month and I finally got it back! I had a few ideas while I was grounded, and I forgot most of them. But here's one!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. It all belongs to FOX and Josh Schwartz!**

**THE WHOLE THERESA THING NEVER HAPPENED!!**

Seth Cohen was waiting for Ryan in the poolhouse. They were going to work on their homework together and study for the upcoming Social Studies test. It was a test to see what they remember about what they learned in high school.

Ryan came into the poolhouse soaking wet. Seth looked at him confused.

"Birthday present. I get thrown into a pool. Can't wait to see what happens when I get married," Ryan said.

"Someone's feeling a little sarcastic today. I know it's your birthday, but we have to study!" Seth said.

Ryan sat on the couch and looked at Seth. "Fine. Get changed. I'll wait in here and continue studying," Seth said.

Ryan grabbed some clothes and got changed in the bathroom.

Seth looked over the 11th Grade packet and knew which question he wanted to ask Ryan.

Seth looked up and saw Ryan standing there. "Hey buddy. Time to start studying!"

Ryan sat on the couch and put his face in his hands.

"OK then. Let's start with this question. When you think of the Spanish Inquisition, what people do you associate it with?" Ryan looked up. Seth started laughing.

"Not funny! Let's start studying," Ryan said.

Seth looked at him. He threw the packets at Ryan. "I studied enough. Ask me any question and I will know the answer." Ryan sighed when he saw how much he had to study in a week.

Ryan went inside about two hours later. He opened the kitchen door and saw Kirsten, Sandy and Seth standing there.

"Happy Birthday!" they said.

Ryan smiled at them. He looked over at the table. "Come on guys. I said no gifts."

"We know. You tell us that every holiday. But do we listen?" Kirsten asked.

"Guess not," Ryan said. He went over to the table and saw the pile of gifts there.

"Summer and Marissa couldn't come. Summer's actually studying and Marissa is still sick," Seth said.

"They gave you gifts though," Sandy said.

Ryan was sad that Marissa was still sick. She has a bad case of the flu. She called him earlier and told him she was still really sick and couldn't come over.

Ryan grabbed Sandy's and Kirsten's first. He opened it and saw a blue iPod. Ryan looked at them.

"Don't say anything Ryan. We wanted to," Sandy said.

"There are two more, but you'll open those last," Kirsten said.

Ryan went over and hugged them both. "Thanks guys," he said.

"No problem," Sandy said.

Ryan opened the one next that was obviously Seth's wrapping. It was an Xbox, the game Fable, and the guide for it.

"I thought that game was perfect for you. In the beginning of the game, you get to choose which path you want to take, Good or Evil. That's sort of like you. You got to choose your path early on without realizing it," Seth said.

Ryan went over and hugged him, which caught Seth off guard. "Thanks man," Ryan said.

He looked over at the remaining packages. There were gifts more gifts from people. Ryan grabbed the one from Marissa. It was the watch she tried to steal last Christmakkuh for him. He looked at the note. DON'T WORRY. I DIDN'T STEAL IT. LOVE, Marissa. He put the watch on. It fit perfectly.

"Props to Marissa! Nice gift you got there!" Sandy said.

"Dad?" Seth asked.

"Yeah son?"

"Shut up. Please."

"Shutting up."

Ryan looked at the gift from Summer. It was the same cologne Seth wore. Seth saw the bottle and started laughing.

"Guess she likes it," Seth said.

Ryan grabbed a package that was from Luke. He opened it and saw that it was an Abercrombie and Fitch gift certificate.

"You know what? He became a model there. I saw his ad when I went to the mall with Summer the other day. I called him and he told me not to tell anyone, but he must have assumed that I told you," Seth said.

Sandy gasped. "That was Luke?"

Ryan chuckled as he grabbed a gift from Oliver. Everyone stared when they saw the name.

"Isn't he still in the loony bin?" Seth asked.

"No. He's in jail now," Ryan said.

"For what?" Seth asked.

"Attempting to murder a guard and stabbing a nurse," Ryan said.

Seth was speechless.

Ryan opened the gift and saw a card.

Dear Ryan,

You probably don't want to hear from me, but I have to make you a present. It's part of this stupid jail thing. But I wanted to say Happy Birthday. I want to talk to you, if you'll see me. You know where I am.

I made you a wallet. It can hold twenty pictures and twenty credit cards at least. I made it out of leather and used a sewing machine. God I sound like a little girl. Well, I tried my best at it.

From,

Oliver

Ryan looked at the wallet. It was very well made.

"Wow! Did he make that?" Seth asked.

"Yeah. He said he did," Ryan said.

Seth examined the wallet more closely. "Did he use a sewing machine?" Seth asked.

"Yup."

"Wow that's gay," Seth said. Sandy smacked him. "What? It is!"

"Anyway, we have two more gifts for you. Sandy, go get the first one," Kirsten said.

Sandy went into the living room.

"As you know, Seth's birthday is coming up also. The third gift is for both of you," Kirsten said.

That made Seth excited and he started to babble. He stopped when he heard a rattling sound.

The rattling became louder and a baby Golden Retriever came running into the kitchen. Ryan bent down and picked him up.

"We adopted him from the shelter. They found a pregnant Golden Retriever and they were selling them cheap. We know you love dogs and it was so adorable we couldn't resist," Kirsten said.

Seth went over and pet the Golden Retriever. It was all gold with bright blue eyes.

"He looks like you," Seth said.

Ryan didn't listen. He loved the puppy already. But there was a problem. What was he going to name it?

"Well, are you ready for your third gift?" Sandy asked.

Seth nodded and looked at Ryan, who was still playing with the puppy, but he was listening.

"Ryan, put the puppy down for a second," Kirsten said.

Ryan put the puppy on the floor. Sandy lifted his arm and pointed towards the living room. The puppy went running.

Instantly, Ryan and Seth chased after it. Ryan pulled ahead and stopped dead in his tracks. Seth, not paying attention, ran into him and knocked him over.

"Why did you stop?" Seth asked. He looked up and saw what Ryan saw. A red Hummer.

Seth stood up and stared in shock. It was brand new and it was their favorite color. In the driver's seat, was the puppy and he was barking up a storm.

Ryan went over and took the puppy out. He looked in the Hummer. It was obviously very expensive. It had all leather seats, a leather steering wheel, automatic and manual gears and seating for nine.

Seth gasped when he saw the inside. Ryan laughed at him and the puppy stopped barking.

"So, what are you gonna name him?" he asked.

"I was thinking Benji," Ryan said.

"Ryan, please don't tell me it's after the Benji Madden from Good Charlotte."

"No. I just like that name. But I do like Good Charlotte."

Seth stared at Ryan.

"Have you ever listened to them?" Ryan asked.

Seth shook his head. Ryan went into the Range Rover and grabbed his Good Charlotte CDs. He gave them to Seth.

"Listen to them," Ryan said.

Seth went in the Hummer.

Ryan looked at the door and saw Sandy and Kirsten standing there. He went over and gave them a hug. He didn't want to let go. He finally learned of how much Sandy and Kirsten loved him. He also realized how much he loved them.

"Come on Ryan! Let's go for a ride! McDonalds! All the food we can eat!" Seth called.

Ryan let go. "Thanks guys, for everything," he said.

"You're welcome," Kirsten said.

Ryan took Benji and went into the car.

"We're going to the pet store first," Ryan said.

"Why?" Seth asked.

"He needs a collar, food, a leash and a tag."

"Chill. He only needs a collar, a leash and a tag. The parents got food, bowls and plenty of newspaper already. I saw it before."

"Fine. But we're going there first."

They pulled up to the pet store and stepped inside. The place was the size of a department store. Other people had their pets with them.

"Let's get a collar and a leash first. They're over here," Seth said.

Within 5 minutes, Ryan found the leash and the collar he wanted. It was dark blue with suns and moons on it. They had a matching leash, which worked out well.

"The toy aisle is over here," Seth said.

They picked up a few chew toys and some nutrition bones.

"Finally, we get to make the tag. The machine is over here."

Ryan looked at all of the possibilities. He chose one that had the St. Louis Rams logo on it.

"St. Louis Rams Ryan?" Seth asked.

"My uncle Ted used to love the Rams. He was my favorite uncle. We were walking home from the store. I was about eight at the time. There was a gang fight going down between two towns and he tried to protect me. He was shot through the chest and killed."

Ryan grabbed the printed tag and walked to the register. Seth caught up to him.

"What two towns?"

"That's not important," Ryan said.

Outside, Ryan set Benji on the hood of the car and put on the collar and tag.

"Wow! Sassy!" Seth said.

Ryan chuckled.

"Well, let's go to McDonalds. We can eat in the park next to it and let Benji run around for a little bit," Seth said.

They got into the Hummer and Seth started to drive away.

While he was driving, Seth didn't see the tears that fell from Ryan's eyes.


End file.
